2013 Bonanza Bird #30: Rufous-necked Wood-Rail

July 30, 2013 in Birdorable Bonanza 2013 and Rails with 8 comments

It looks like yesterday's bird, the Least Bittern, totally got photobombed by a Rufous-necked Wood-Rail! How often does that happen? Our 499th Birdorable species and second-to-last 2013 Bonanza bird is the Rufous-necked Wood Rail!

Rufous-necked Wood-Rails are usually found in coastal habitats in parts of Central and South America. However, one day earlier this month, birder Matt Daw had an interesting experience while making a video of a Least Bittern at a National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. Have a look at the photobombing wood-rail that sent the birding world into a frenzy:

Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Bosque del Apache NWR by Matt Daw

News of Daw's rare sighting spread like wildfire among the birding community and visitors came from all over the United States to see the wood-rail. American Birding Association president Jeffrey Gordon recorded an interview with Matt Daw which you can see here: Interview with Matt Daw, finder of the New Mexico Rufous-necked Wood-Rail. And the famous sighting also got coverage on a recent episode of CBS This Morning.

Tomorrow our 2013 Bonanza will conclude with Birdorable species #500. This once-abundant species will have an important but sad anniversary next year. Join us tomorrow as we reveal our 500th cute Birdorable cartoon bird!

Comments

Oscar on July 30, 2013 at 3:58 PM wrote:

Passenger Pigeon :( Any plans for more extinct birds?

Birdorable on July 31, 2013 at 12:35 AM wrote:

We do already have the Great Auk, Labrador Duck, and Dodo. :)

Jays and Kestrels on September 14, 2013 at 9:35 PM wrote:

what about ivory billed woodpecker?? ;(

Jays and Kestrels on September 14, 2013 at 9:36 PM wrote:

birds r cool :>

Louise Warner on February 23, 2017 at 4:12 PM wrote:

passenger pigeon. easy!!!

Louise Warner on February 23, 2017 at 4:12 PM wrote:

passenger pigeon. easy!!!

Louise Warner on February 23, 2017 at 4:15 PM wrote:

what went wrong? all i did is wrote: passenger pigeon. easy!!!

Spurwing Plover on September 24, 2025 at 6:54 PM wrote:

BIRDS RULE

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.

Your name (required)

Your email address (required)

Your email address will not be published

Comment (required)

I agree to receive updates and news from Birdorable

You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

Fun Facts About Blue Jays

April 29, 2016

Blue Jays are large, bold songbirds that live across much of North America. They are common throughout their range, which includes the eastern two-thirds of the continent. Here are some facts about this familiar and widespread species. There are at...

Bird Migration in October: Find Birds Where You Live

October 9, 2025

Here in North America, fall is a perfect time to spot new birds as they pass through on their migratory journey south. Depending on where you live, your backyard might host warblers, sparrows, or even hawks making a pit stop for food and rest. Do...

2017 Bonanza Bird #1: Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle

November 24, 2017

As 2017 winds down, it's time for us to reveal some new birds as part of our annual Birdorable Bonanza! This time we'll introduce 12 birds, from November 24th through December 5th. Today's new bird joins the Birdorable raptor family. The Black-and-white...

2017 Bonanza Bird #7: Reddish Egret

November 30, 2017

Today we continue with our 2017 Birdorable Bonanza by adding a new wading bird: the Reddish Egret! The Reddish Egret is a medium-sized species of heron found along coastal habitats in Central America and the southeast of the United States. They are...

Birdorable Blog